Posts from Spanish

Romesco is like pesto’s neglected second cousin. Both start with a blend of nuts and raw garlic, but then romesco veers off on its own path with roasted red peppers and a hit of spicy heat. Romesco might not be as hip or as trendy, but we've got plenty of ways to use it on the dinner table.

After their dramatic win at the World Cup last week, we still haven’t quite managed to get the Spanish fervor out of our systems. And for us, of course that means Spanish food! These dishes say Spain to us more than anything else. What Spanish dishes do you love?

Did you watch the exciting conclusion to the World Cup yesterday afternoon? Did you cheer for Spain? If so, then you might want to check out this luscious slideshow of Spanish desserts at the Australian Gourmet Traveller. They go way past flan!

This rich, spicy stew really hits the spot on cold winter nights. Chorizo, the Spanish pork sausage flavored with smoked paprika and chilies, has a spicy, robust flavor that just permeates this soup. Onions, garlic, thyme, and a little wine round out a broth that gets soaked up by the beans as they simmer. It was easy, quick, and incredibly satisfying on a cold night.

A pipérade is a Basque dish made with tomatoes, peppers, Bayonne ham, and piment d'espelette. It's often served over scrambled eggs, though some recipe variations call for poaching the eggs right in the sauce, or serving the sauce over poached chicken or polenta.

If you were to visit Spain and come back enamored with the food, Simone and Inés Ortega's 1080 Recipes would be a great gift to buy yourself. You have to be committed though, and have at least three inches of bookshelf space to spare and be able to lift five pounds.

Originally published in 1972, it's considered the Spanish Joy of Cooking, a bible of sorts covering all the classics from curing olives, preparing fresh snails, frying an omelet and baking a flan. How does one get to 1080 recipes though, supposedly inspired by one country? Lots of variation. Like Woodcock? There's a whole section for you. How about Veal Stew? You have four choices. Turnips? Have them glazed in a lamb stew, cooked gratin style, in cider with béchamel sauce and egg yolks, or with carrots.